Petronila Creek: Implementing a Plan to Improve Water Quality

A project to implement TMDLs that reduce salinity from chloride, sulfate, and dissolved solids in Petronila Creek. Together, the adopted TMDLs and the approved Implementation Plan provide the road map to improved water quality.

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In 2000, water quality testing found elevated levels of chloride, sulfate, and TDS in the creek. High concentrations of these salts are indicators of general water quality that are not tied to a specific use, but may affect several uses.

For example, too much chloride can cause a bad taste in drinking water, harm plumbing, and increase the risk of hypertension in humans. Large quantities of sulfate can cause drinking water to smell or taste bad. High concentrations of dissolved solids can be toxic to species that live in fresh water.

The goal of this project is to improve water quality in the creek by implementing total maximum daily loads.

Get Involved

People who live or work in the watershed are invited to attend meetings about this project and to work on activities to improve the creek. Help keep the creek clean and safe for humans and aquatic life forms.

Revised Implementation Plan

In 2012, the Nueces River Authority (NRA) began working with stakeholders to review the Implementation Plan and its progress. Through a series of public meetings, NRA worked closely with stakeholders to gather information and form work groups to focus on specific aspects of the plan. In 2014, the stakeholders prepared a revised Implementation Plan to continue their efforts in improving local water quality.

Updates to TMDLs

From time to time, it is necessary to revise TMDLs to account for changing conditions in the watershed, such as new or amended permits, or urban growth, or to correct oversights in the original TMDL report. Revisions to the load allocations in TMDLs are made via the state’s WQMP, which is updated quarterly.

The WQMP provides projected effluent limits for use in planning and permitting activities under the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES). The TCEQ reviews all applications for new and amended permits for conformance with applicable portions of the WQMP, including adopted TMDLs.